The St. Louis Cardinals watched starter Sonny Gray pitch six innings of two-run baseball, striking out seven in the process on Wednesday. However, it wasn't enough, as the Cardinals still fell to the San Francisco Giants 4-3.
The loss hurts St. Louis more than just wasting a solid Gray start. But now 78-81 on the season, the Cardinals have been eliminated from postseason contention.
It's the third straight year that St. Louis won't be competing in the playoffs. They haven't won a playoff game since 2020 and haven't advanced past the Wild Card round since 2019. The Cardinals must take a long look in the mirror before deciding how to proceed with the franchise.
One major change is already in motion with President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak stepping down at the conclusion of the season. He will be replaced by former Boston Red Sox executive Chaim Bloom.
Immediately upon taking the job, he'll have to make some crucial decisions when it comes to his veterans. Nolan Arenado has been consistently on the trade block, while Sonny Gray is pondering requesting a trade, via John Denton of MLB.com. If Bloom were to sell off, it's fair to wonder if the Cardinals embrace a full-on rebuilding approach.
But perhaps that would be in the best interest of the franchise. Alongside their playoff woes, St. Louis currently ranks 18th in runs scored (685) and 19th in ERA (4.23). Rather than flounder in the middle, especially with potential veteran departures, the Cardinals could instead look towards the future.
For now, the Cardinals are still recovering from their playoff elimination blow. Their postseason-less streak will surely dictate how St. Louis operates during the offseason.
